Update: Bill Owens' lead in NY-23 race widens by 300 votes

The Associated PressNew York's 23rd Congressional District Democratic candidate Bill Owens delivers his victory speech at his headquarters in Plattsburgh on Nov. 4.Maria T. Welych / The Post-StandardThese are the latest vote totals in the 23rd Congressional district contest, reflecting a recanvassing of voting machines and all absentee ballots except one town in Clinton County

Oswego, NY -- Democrat Bill Owens picked up about 300 more votes as more of the 11 counties in the 23rd Congressional district finished counting absentee ballots.

As of Friday, Owens led Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman by 3,129 votes. With all votes tallied except one town in Clinton County, Owens lead now is 3,422. Oswego, Essex, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties finished counting absentee ballots Monday.

Hoffman spokesman Rob Ryan said Hoffman will issue a formal statement sometime today on what he will do next.

As of Friday, it was determined that Hoffman could not overtake Owens to win the race. Oswego and Essex still had not reported absentee numbers and Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Clinton had only partial numbers.

On Monday, Owens picked up another 293 votes. Ryan had said on Friday that Hoffman would have to be within 500 votes or less to have a chance of winning the election.

As of Monday afternoon, the vote tally is 72,817 for Owens and 69,395 for Hoffman — a lead of 3,422 for Owens. All totals still are unofficial until the votes are certified, which should be in a week or so.

Hoffman told supporters last week the election was “stolen” by Democrats, labor unions and the community activist group ACORN. Hoffman also accused his opponents of tampering with ballots, but when pressed for evidence, he declined to offer any.